Shloka 10

Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon

Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15

Devanagari script

सत्यव्रतधर: शूरो ब्रह्मचारी च पाण्डव: | गुरुवर्ती च तेनास्त्रं संजहारार्जुन: पुन:

Transliteration

satyavratadharaḥ śūro brahmacārī ca pāṇḍavaḥ | guruvartī ca tenāstraṃ saṃjahārārjunaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন—সত্যব্রতধারী, ব্রহ্মচারী ও বীর পাণ্ডব অর্জুন গুরুর আদেশে অবিচল ছিলেন; তাই তিনি সেই অস্ত্র পুনরায় সংহরণ করে ফিরিয়ে নিলেন।

Word by Word

• सत्यव्रतधरः: bearer of a true vow
• सत्यव्रतधरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यव्रतधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शूरः: heroic, brave
• शूरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मचारी: celibate student; one observing brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुवर्ती: obedient to the teacher; acting according to the guru
• गुरुवर्ती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरुवर्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तेन: therefore; by that (reason)
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon (missile)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संजहार: withdrew, recalled, drew back
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Pāṇḍava
• astra (divine weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power must be governed by dharma: truthfulness, self-restraint, and obedience to rightful guidance (guru/authority) determine when a weapon should be used or withdrawn.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, characterized by vows of truth and disciplined conduct, follows his teacher’s instruction and therefore retracts/recalls the invoked weapon (astra) again.